The
Stanford Women’s Wellness Program has launched a study of the
drug escitalopram (brand name Lexapro) in the treatment of midlife
depression. The research is part of the ongoing work of Natalie
Rasgon, MD, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral
sciences at the School of Medicine.

Researchers will test escitalopram’s effectiveness in
women between ages 45 and 65, by comparing cognitive function and
depressive symptoms before and after treatment.

It
will also examine whether women who are already taking estrogen
therapy respond more readily to antidepressant
treatment.

Researchers say the incidence of major depression in the United
States is expected to rise as baby boomer women move through their
middle years, due to the dual risks of entering midlife and simply
being female.

Women are up to twice as likely as men to experience depression
at some point during their lives. This gender gap persists across
social and cultural differences, according to a study published
last month.

Women face even higher risk in midlife as they navigate life
and hormonal changes. In a prior study conducted by Rasgon of 31
post-menopausal women, those taking hormone replacement therapy
tested as less depressed and less angry and performed better on
measures of verbal fluency and working memory than 16 peers who
were not taking hormones.

Women between ages 45 and 65 who are currently experiencing an
episode of major depressive disorder are eligible to participate in
the study. All volunteers will receive the study medication and
weekly doctor visits over a 12-week period.